‘Never experienced before’: How the Cowboys new NRLW high performance centre in Cairns will change the game

Cairns will play a critical role in the growth of women’s rugby league with a top administrator confident a new elite training facility can take the game to another level on-and-off the field.

Kirra Dibb of the Cowboys passes during a clash against the Gold Coast Titans last season. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Cairns will play a critical role in the growth of women’s rugby league with a top administrator confident a new elite training facility can take the game to another level on-and-off the field.

As exclusively reported by the Cairns Post on Tuesday, Labor and the Coalition’s $15m

commitment to build a high performance centre at Barlow Park now guarantees the Cowboys women’s team will relocate to the Far North in 2027.

Concept plans for the Community Development and High Performance Centre in the Barlow Park precinct. Photo: Supplied by North Queensland Cowboys.

Head of NRLW and women’s elite pathways, Anita Creenaune, said the program’s greatest legacy would be creating the first pathway of its kind for Far North women into professional sport.

“It’s a massive step forward in the growth of women’s rugby league,” Ms Creenaune said.

“Especially bringing our juniors through and giving them the opportunity. There’s so much talent across the Far North.

“We now have a national pathway for these young women to aspire to. Now, we’ll have a high performance centre in Cairns where we can grow and nurture that talent through to the national competition.”

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys co-captain Tallisha Harden recently celebrated a club milestone. Picture: Alix Sweeney / North Queensland Toyota Cowboys

Ms Creenaune paid tribute to generations of women’s rugby league players, whose passion for the game culminated in the establishment of a national competition in 2018.

“If I look at (Cowboys second rower) Tallisha Harden for example, it was only just last year after playing for seven year, she was able to play her 30th national (NRLW) game,” she said.

“We acknowledge that milestone, whereas we look at that for men and they can achieve that in two (seasons). We have a longer competition now. The game will expand again for new teams in the near future.

“It’s just expanded again to 12 teams. The evolution has been epic and it’s only getting stronger.”

The Cowboys believe its Community Development and High Performance Centre in Cairns will improve its NRLW talent and entice more Far North female sporting stars to take up rugby league. Photo: Supplied by North Queensland Cowboys.

A training facility and headquarters equal to the Cowboys base in Townsville was key to helping athletes reach new heights.

“The players that have come before us and people like Tallisha and (inaugural co-captain) Kirra Dibb who’ve been in our programs for a long time,” Ms Creenaune said.

“They’re seeing a different approach to high performance in rugby league that they’ve never experienced before.”

The Cowboys women’s team missed the finals last season finishing sixth with four wins and five losses.

Originally published as ‘Never experienced before’: How the Cowboys new NRLW high performance centre in Cairns will change the game